This one really didn’t take much thought. The answer was crystal clear the seconds after reading the question. However, I did note a few other players who deserve an honorable mention for seriously stepping their game up:
Demar Derozan, Otto Porter, Jabari Parker, Zach Lavine, Dennis Schroder, Devin Booker
Without further ado, our first half (and likely full year) most improved goes to… Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Giannis came into the league 3.5 years ago with a whirlwind of hype surrounding him. He was quickly dubbed “The Greek Freak” and… to be honest at first it was difficult to understand why. He had very unique physical attributes, but watching him play in his first year wasn’t exactly inspiring. He couldn’t shoot and looked hesitant -- qualities that are not found in a current-day superstar. Many (including myself) were wholeheartedly rooting for him, but more production was needed before breaking out the Giannis bandwagon.
However, with a few years under his belt, he has shown us a heck of a lot more. Bucks fans witnessed a few glimpses of greatness towards the end of last season, but nothing could have prepared them for what has come this year. Giannis has taken the league by storm, posting 23.7p/8.8r/5.4a/1.8s/2.0b, utterly god-like numbers across the board. He is the very essence of a “do-it-all” player, and is a huge reason behind the Bucks being in the playoff conversation this year. His scoring has increased by 6.8 points, assists by 1.1, and he added almost a whole block per game. That’s all on top of his FG% jumping from 50.6% to an extremely efficient 53%, which is crazy given the spike in usage he is experiencing.
One could try and compare him with players like Lebron James or Magic Johnson, but it would be unfair to both sides. Giannis possesses a combination of skills that the league has never seen before. The guy is 7 feet tall and has a great handle, which allows him to attack the rim and nonchalantly pick up his dribble before the three-point line and throw down a ferocious dunk. Rarely ever does a draft gamble like Giannis turn out to become one of the league’s most talented players, but John Hammond is surely thanking his stars in Milwaukee.
At the time of he was drafted in 2013, Giannis was a 6’9” forward who did not have much besides potential. There sure was a lot of it, but he hadn’t really refined his game in any direction. As stated before: he couldn’t shoot, didn’t have a great handle on the ball, two things essential to making a superstar player. However, for the better part of his first 3 years, the basketball world remained confident that huge things were coming from the Greek native. He weathered the ups and downs of being a young NBA player, steadily improving throughout each year. And boy, things have changed. He is now 7’0” tall and arguably at his most dangerous when handling the ball in the open court. His great length allows him to corral rebounds with the league’s best, and take off to finish on the other end of the court with ease, or drop a sweet dime to Jabari Parker. The versatility he displays on a night-in, night-out basis is incredible. From defense to playmaking to finishing, Giannis has truly become one of the league’s elite, and is deserving of his spot as an All-Star Game starter. Almost every aspect of his game has clicked harmoniously, and the league may have a perennial All-Leaguer on its hands.
Now the only problem he has is figuring out which position he is best at.
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